Madhya Pradesh: PM Modi has spoken about replacing ‘VIP’ with Every Person is Important’ concept during his latest edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat on Sunday.

But, an incident, clearly a caste-driven hatred, has raised apprehensions over the materialisation of the concept of ‘EPI’, for the Dalits in the country are still struggling to get a better stake in the society, keep aside equality.

In an unfortunate incident, the upper caste villagers in Madhya Pradesh’s Mana poured kerosene into a well used by the Dalits because a particular Dalit from the village had arranged for a musical band during his daughter’s wedding.

Chander Meghwal, a 45-year-old Dalit from the village wanted to have a band party for his daughter’s wedding and he did go ahead with the wish brushing aside warnings of boycott from the upper class people of the village, who underlined the fact that the traditions of Mana village do not permit bands to be a part of Dalit wedding and that the Dalits should be happy only with a ‘dhol’ to welcome the groom.

Meghwal had intimated the police about the threat and the wedding took place under tight security. But, the rigid upper class,that was fuming over the decision of Meghwal worked out a different way to settle score and thus poured kerosene into the well to take revenge.

But, smarter Dalits of the village worked out an alternative to get water and thus dug out a hole on the banks of river Kalisindh and met their water requirements. The Dalits also used pumps to separate the kerosene from the water.

Superintended of Police (SP) R.S. Meena along with district collector D.V. Singh marched towards the village, drank the water from the well and assured the villagers of it being safe to consume.

Singh announced borewells for Dalits so that they do not encounter such problems in the future.

The police are investigating the matter.